In Brief
The Ingrid 38 from the pen of William Atkin is a heavy displacement blue water ketch derived from Colin Archer's famous double ender designs, which in turn were inspired by Viking boats renowned for their heavy weather characteristics. Perhaps Atkin sums it up by saying it’s “the kind of boat that behaves herself in rough water and can be depended upon to sail herself”. (To that part we do hear frequent mentions of the superb one-finger-on-tiller tracking and a comfortable ride.)
With her old world style she’s a good looking boat with a sheer line reminiscent of the Crealock's famous Westsail 32. Her seaworthiness is there to see in her full keel, heavy displacement and overbuilt construction. Her hull is heavily hand laid in fiberglass, there’s robust outboard chainplates and an outboard rudder protected by extra fiberglass and a large bronze shoe casting should she scrub the bottom.
Atkin’s main rework on the Ingrid 38 from Archer’s original design was a finer entry on the bow which ‘cushions’ her landing off the waves. Below the waterline she has a long full keel with deep v-sections forward keeping her stable in the rough. The ballast is encapsulated and is distributed from bow to stern, this helps her to avoid the pitching motion familiar to fin-keel sailors. Rounding this off, there’s plenty of flotation fore and aft which helps keep her dry.
The tradeoff heavy displacement and ultimate stability is usually in speed, the Ingrid 38 is not considered fast. Surprisingly she’s known to sail pretty well in light airs, owners reporting she’ll do half the wind speed up to 8 knots of wind. However, she’s a boat that comes into her own in heavier seas. By the numbers, her hull speed works out at 7.2 knots but she’ll more often manage a consistent 6 knots while cruising. The ketch rig gives plenty of options on all points of sail and she’s an easy boat to single-hand.
History
Around 1934 American naval architect William Atkin was bombarded with demands for a larger ketch-rigged version of the Thistle 31, a double-ender which he had recently released plans for. Atkin took the lines of Archer’s design and drew the plans for the Ingrid 38.
The first Ingrid 38s were privately built from wood, steel and cement from the plans, but it wasn’t until 1971 that production began in fiberglass by Blue Water Boats Inc (ironically located in a town called Woodinville in WA). The plug and mold for the first Ingrid was built by two Seattle sailors James Musser and Donald J. Pitblado working together, as the story goes, in a commercial chicken coop. James Musser’s original plan was to build Ingrid hull#1 and embark on a Pacific Ocean cruise but others were so impressed by his Ingrid Sandaldust that they requested similar hulls from the mold. From this demand Blue Water Boats Inc. was born. His co-worker Donald J. Pitblado went on to become the owner of Ingrid hull #2 Donna Marie
In 1973 the company took on Jerry Husted, an experienced Puget Sound sailor, as an equal partner which allowed Musser and his wife to sailed off in Sandaldust to live their Pacific dream. By 1974 Husted bought the balance of the shares and production of the Ingrid continued until about 1985 when the molds and patterns were sold off and were stored for a long time in Graham, WA. Around 1997-98 the molds were purchased by Bill Ingerson and he shifted them back to Woodinville in 2000 . Ingerson tried to get a few commitments for hulls but never got much interest at todays production costs.
The Ingrid 38 was produced at the rate of one a month for 10-12 years and there are thought to be around 143 of these boats in existence as well as those constructed from other materials. Many boats were bought as hull and deck kit sets from Blue Water Boats and finished by their owners to a variety of standards and configurations (including using cutter rigs).
A variation on the Ingrid 38 exists in the form the Alajuela 38, her hull being a close derivative of the Ingrid, built to a very high standard and configured with a cutter rig.
Specifications
LOA: 47′ 0″ (including bowsprit and rudder)
LOD: 37′ 8″
LWL: 32′ 0″
Beam: 11′ 4″
Draft: 5′ 8″
Sail Area: 816 sq. ft.
Displacement: 26,000lbs
Ballast: 8,000lbs
Head Room: 6′ 0″
Engine: Volvo MD2B
Year Introduced: 1971
Year Ended: 1985
Designer: William Atkin
Builder: Blue Water Boats Inc.
Buyers Notes
The Ingrid 38 is no longer in production but there are usually several available on the used boat market, mainly in the US. Current asking prices are around $35k – $79k USD. Prospective owners are recommended to contact the Ingrid 38 owners group on yahoo.com for advice or information (link below).
Similar Boats
Alajuela 38
Bently 38
Orca 38
John Hanna Carol 36
Freya 39
Westsail 32
Westsail 42
Southern Cross 39
References and Further Reading
» Ingrid 38 Owners Group on Yahoo
» Ingrid 38 Reference site
» Ingrid 38 S/V Maitreya Owners blog
Gallery
![Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-aftquarter-gibraltar2006.jpg "Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]")
![Removing the temporary cover from Alegria after 8.5 years of hull repairs and refitting in Texas. [image courtesy of David Heath, taken Janet Heath 1998]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-boathouse1998.jpg "Removing the temporary cover from Alegria after 8.5 years of hull repairs and refitting in Texas. [image courtesy of David Heath, taken Janet Heath 1998]")
![David Heath's Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-gibraltar2006.jpg "David Heath's Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]")
![Hauling out Alegria for the start of a 8.5 year refit [image courtesy of David Heath, taken by Janet Heath 1989]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-haulout1989.jpg "Hauling out Alegria for the start of a 8.5 year refit [image courtesy of David Heath, taken by Janet Heath 1989]")
![Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-undersail-gibraltar2006.jpg "Alegria at Gibraltar in 2006 [image courtesy of David Heath]")
![David Heath's Alegria, Galley [image courtesy of David Heath]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-alegria-galley.jpg "David Heath's Alegria, Galley [image courtesy of David Heath]")
![S/V Spiritus [image courtesy of Thomas Harper, taken 2011]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-spiritus-1.jpg "S/V Spiritus [image courtesy of Thomas Harper, taken 2011]")
![S/V Spiritus [image courtesy of Thomas Harper, taken 2011]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-spiritus-2_0.jpg "S/V Spiritus [image courtesy of Thomas Harper, taken 2011]")
![The classic Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess in action [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-undersail.jpg "The classic Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess in action [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess under full sail in Barkley Sound, BC, 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-undersailaftquarter.jpg "Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess under full sail in Barkley Sound, BC, 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess under sail in Barkley Sound, BC in 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-undersailforwardquarter.jpg "Ingrid 38 S/V Ingrid Princess under sail in Barkley Sound, BC in 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![S/V Ingrid Princess gliding along in Barkley Sound, BC, 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-startboardview.jpg "S/V Ingrid Princess gliding along in Barkley Sound, BC, 2006 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![S/V Ingrid Princess resting at anchor, Bishop Bay Hot Springs, BC, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-atanchor.jpg "S/V Ingrid Princess resting at anchor, Bishop Bay Hot Springs, BC, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![S/V Ingrid Princess under bare poles in Ford's Terror, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-atanchor2.jpg "S/V Ingrid Princess under bare poles in Ford's Terror, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![S/V Ingrid Princess in Ford's Terror, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-alaska.jpg "S/V Ingrid Princess in Ford's Terror, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![On deck of S/V Ingrid Princess in Glacier Bay, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-ondeck.jpg "On deck of S/V Ingrid Princess in Glacier Bay, Alaska, 2007 [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
![S/V Ingrid Princess alongside the dock [image courtesy of Skip Masters]](http://cdn.bluewaterboats.org/ingrid-38/ingrid38-ingridprincess-docked.jpg "S/V Ingrid Princess alongside the dock [image courtesy of Skip Masters]")
I am owner of blue water Ingrid, hull number six. The only other boat of similar size that I could compare it to was my previous Westsail 32. Overall I find her to be a much drier boat going to weather, to be at least a knot faster in similar wind conditions, and to have similar rolling tendencies when in a sea way, especially going downwind in light winds. She is very easy to balance even without the use of a autopilot to to her full keel and good tracking. I supplement this ability a Tiller pilot under power, and a monitor windvane under sail. My boat has a cutter rig, which does make it difficult to tack due to the mizzin interfering with the windvane. Although my boat is 40 years old, there is no sign of hull osmosis or other fiberglass delamination. Early Ingrid's from Bluewater had wooden decks and cabintops which does increase maintenance. The lack of storage space in the cockpit, is more than made up for by storage space in the cabin.
I would suggest that prospective obtaining a cruising spinnaker to assist with light winds, as without it I tend to need to motor in less than 5 kn of wind going downwind. I do re powered with a 30 hp diesel, and if I had to do it again. I would upgrade to 40 hp.
Overall for a 40-year-old boat is giving me significant durability safety and has taken me anywhere that I have wished to go. My boat sleeps four people maximally, not a problem for us as the boat was designed for 2 to 3 people sailing and comfort around the world. I do not need the ability to sleep 7 to 8 people.
We built an ingrid in our back yard,launch her in July of 74 and sailed her in the pacific till july of 78. A very good sea boat with wonderful self steering We did sheet to tiller steering with great sucess. The boat was sold in 89 and we have had a number of boats since but none I,d rather be at sea in with rough conditions.
I’m looking at the “Similar Boats” section it occurs to me that we are missing another builder. The Alajuela 38 molds (I’m told) were shipped to Taiwan and there they produced a few hull that were to become Bently 38. I have only seen one of these and heard from one additional owner on my Ingrid 38 site (www.Ingrid38.com). The easiest way to recognize a Bently 38 is the deck house is raised aft with windows rather than ports. To my knowledge they were all cutter rigs. Since they carried about 10,000 of ballast like the Alajuela they have less free-board.
Another observation: while side tied to a public dock with an Alajuela astern, I went off in my dingy and noticed she had a noticeably lower shear line aft than my Ingrid 38. It would be interesting to compare the actual line drawings of these boats.. I have already done a cutter rig comparison of several of the Ingrid class…. Steve
Thanks Steve, we must get onto writing up some of these variations. Feel free to send through any extra research you come across :-)
-Will
We’ve just noticed someone offered up the Ingrid 38 molds for free in Dec 2010. We’d be interested to hear the story behind this.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f55/ingrid-38-molds-free-50861.html
Her hull is heavily hand laid in
fiberglass
there’s robust outboard … a plug and taking a mold from it in order to make his own fiberglass hull.
I JUST SURVEYED ONE OF THESE BOATS TODAY AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED. IT IS NAMED GRACE, AND IS IN PIER 39, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, ODUS HAYES,AMS. MARINE SURVEYOR.
This website completely disregards the contribution of Don Pitblado, who acutally built the Ingrid mold in the commercial chicken coop out in Woodinville. If you want an accurate account of the history of these boats, please include Don’s substantial talent and expertise in the building of these beautiful boats.
This website completely disregards the contribution of Don Pitblado, who acutally built the Ingrid mold in the commercial chicken coop out in Woodinville. If you want an accurate account of the history of these boats, please include Don’s substantial talent and expertise in the building of these beautiful boats.
Hi Joyce, thanks for your comment. I was unaware of Don Pitblado’s input into the Ingrid mold so thanks for that info. I have amended the article and if there is any further information that you think should be included please contact us. Cheers -Rosemary
Posts about the free moulds were all over the internet a few months ago. No further news. It looked like the person trying to get rid of them did appreciate their importance and got hold of them and the plans wanting to build an Ingrid so I sincerely hope he was just using scare tactics.
That said, it is probable that the moulds would have deteriorated in the intervening years. As they were built in a chicken shed (so the story goes) and I imagine made from wood they would have needed some serious restoration before being used again. It is possible to build moulds from an existing boat, though. However, as the article says, there just isn’t the interest anymore. Everyone wants a French bathtub now.
Lets just hope that someone was found before some hypocrite smashed them up with heavy machinery as was being threatened.
Oh no, further research has just burst that bubble. From ingrid38.com -
“My records are not complete and from my best estimates and the documents I have at hand, I estimate that production of the Ingrid continued until about 1985 and about 150 to 175 hulls were produced. At about this time the molds and patterns were sold. After being stored in Graham, WA for about 20 years, they were purchased and move back to storage in Woodenville by Bill Ingerson, with the hope of building a few more. Unfortunately, the cost of building a hull as heavy and strong as those built by Blue Water was not practical at todays glass/resin and labor costs. Bill offer the molds for sail really cheap last year. Several people were interested but seperately or jointly we were never able to put together a plan or funds to save these molds. They were crushed last Jan/Feb of 2011. Bill still has some of the minor molds, drawing, foundry patterns and some hardware.”
Bloody philistines. I’m sure someone would have found some space for them. I’d have shipped them all the way across the Atlantic. There are plenty of ‘traditional’ boats being built today not half as good as the Ingrid. Production bathtubs aren’t even a tenth as good. Still, there are precedents for moulds being built from existing boats. A man can dream!